My Millenium Falcon

When my brother was seven, all he wanted for his birthday was a toy Millenium Falcon (it's a spaceship. From Star Wars. Just in case...) My parents felt it was a very extravagant present for a small boy and said no. How they lived to regret it. Finally, when my brother was twenty-one and the Star Wars trilogy was once again in cinemas in its digitally remastered, "improved" form, Millenium Falcons were once again in the shops and my brother was bought one. It was too late. Not until his thirtieth birthday (or there abouts) when he got  the Lego Death Star did you feel that the hurts of the past were finally being forgotten. (If not entirely forgiven. We'll not mention the drum kit.)

So, over the past few years, I have come to realise I have my own Millenium Falcon. When I was about fourteen, I wanted a new pair of Doc Martens. I'd inherited (I can't quite remember who from) a pair of black eight-holes but they were really starting to hurt they were falling to pieces so much (inheriting them probably means they were in my size too). I desperately wanted to replace them with a pair of eight- or ten-hole cherry reds. Desperately. However. Two things happened that stopped this. Both were my mother. First, there was a market stall that sold DMs at about 25% off full price. My mum very much wanted to get my boots from there as she thought full price DMs were a rip off and didn't believe that I would wear them for long before the fashion changed. (She was very wrong on that.) The second thing that happened was my mum not imagining me wearing my DMs but imagining her wearing them. Or something like that. And she felt that cherry reds were too statement, too out there. (Considering I ended up with a pair of gold boots from Camden a few years later...) I'd never wear them. And so, these factors combined and I was persuaded into a pair of not-quite-navy ten-holes. They were good boots. I wore them for years. I only ditched them a few years ago when I really couldn't ignore the fact that they were now very painful to wear (the soles were pretty much gone, amongst other more minor issues.)
My parents have gotten away with this (unlike the Millenium Falcon) as I don't think I've ever mentioned to them that I still think about the beautiful cherry-reds I could have had but poor Husbink hears about it on a pretty regular basis (though hasn't taken the hint I might add!). However, I've just had a birthday and been given quite a bit of money that I don't have any other particular use for. And I was just having a little browse...mmmmm!